Carolina Municipality, Puerto Rico, has earned the National Weather Service TsunamiReady™ and StormReady™designation, better equipping emergency managers to prepare and warn its citizens about tsunamis and severe weather.

The Carolina emergency management team fulfilled a rigorous set of warning communication and evacuation planning criteria that establish preparedness standards for tsunami and severe weather hazards with the cooperation and support of the Puerto Rico Seismic Network and the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Agency.

With this designation Carolina Municipality is the third community in Puerto Rico to earn simultaneously both the TsunamiReady™ and StormReady™ status. Carolina joins the Mayaguez, Lajas, Rincon, Añasco, and Dorado municipalities as TsunamiReady™ and Mayaguez, San Lorenzo, Juncos, Dorado, Caguas, and Coamo as StormReady™.

Bill Proenza, Regional Director for the National Weather Service Southern Region, Israel Matos, Meteorologist-in-Charge, Rafael Mojica, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, from the National Weather Service forecast office in Puerto Rico, and Christa Von-Hillebrandt, Puerto Rico Seismic Network Director, presented the Carolina City Mayor with a recognition certificate, and TsunamiReady™ and StormReady® road signs.

Tsunami Ready

Storm Ready

Beach in Carolina , PuertoRico. Credit: OMME Carolina

To be recognized as TsunamiReady™ and StormReady, a community must:

Establish a 24-hour center for receiving National Weather Service warnings and activating local warning systems.

Have more than one way to alert the public about tsunami and severe weather warnings.

Promote public readiness through community education and the distribution of information.

Develop a formal tsunami plan, which includes holding emergency exercises.

The National Weather Service is encouraging coastal residents to take steps to prepare for a tsunami. “Preparation for disaster is everyone's responsibility. Develop your own emergency response plan, keep a disaster supply kit on hand and learn the tsunami warning signs,” Matos said.

The TsunamiReady™ program is part of NOAA National Weather Service's working partnership with the International Association of Emergency Managers, the National Emergency Management Association and the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program. The TsunamiReady™ and StormReady™designation must be renewed after three years.